The present invention is directed to a lifting and towing device and a method for using such lifting and towing device, and in particular, is directed to a tow hook designed for quick and secure attachment of a chain, tow rope, etc., for example, for pulling a vehicle or for suspending cargo therefrom.
Various designs for tow hooks, especially as used with respect to vehicle towing devices, are known. Examples include that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,806 entitled xe2x80x9cDual Function Vehicle Tow Hookxe2x80x9d, U.S. Pat. No. D341,117 entitled xe2x80x9cRear Tow Hook For An Automobilexe2x80x9d, and D368,246 entitled xe2x80x9cAdd-On Vehicle Tow Hook.xe2x80x9d While all of these prior art hook devices enable a user to contact a rope, cable or chain to such device in order to tow a vehicle, the design of such hooks does not permit effective towing without the risk that, due to possible slackness in the rope or cable during the towing operation, the hook might become detached from the rope or cable. Moreover, other prior art designs which utilize a hook with a spring retaining device, are often more expensive to produce due to their complexity of manufacture (e.g., requiring two or more pieces to be pivotally mounted together) and furthermore do not permit easy detachment of a cable or rope in all circumstances. Moreover, none of the prior art devices provides for a multi-dimensional retaining ability by which the strength of the tow device is not affected regardless of the force vectors applied to such device during a towing or lifting operation.
There is a long felt, but unsolved need for a simple lifting, towing and connecting device which can be manufactured in a one piece design, that permits multi-dimensional forces being applied to such device without the risk that a rope, cable or chain would be detached undesirably therefrom. The present invention thus alleviates the risk that an undesired detachment of a cable, chain or rope from such connecting device will occur in the event of a decrease in the tensioning of the rope, chain or cable during a lifting or towing operation.
The present invention is directed to one or more devices having a body and at least three separate prongs, with a first and second of such prongs being curved in substantially the same direction whereas the third prong is curved in an opposite direction intersecting the other two curved prongs. A chain, rope or cable can be interlaced so as to reside in the interior of the prongs and once interlaced, the rope, chain or cable will not be capable of exiting the interior of the body configured by the overlapping curved prongs without purposeful de-interlacing of such cable, rope or chain from the device. As such, the device finds particular application in situations where it is not desirable to have detachment of a chain, rope or cable when tension is released, for example, in a vehicle towing operation. The device of the present invention can be manufactured as a one piece unit and can be manufactured from any suitable material. In one embodiment, the material is sufficiently buoyant so that it can float on water, making the present invention suitable for use as a connector for use in water sports, such as water skiing. Various other embodiments of the present invention include additional prongs, such as a five or six membered prong devices wherein the prongs are spaced at particular desired angles emanating away from each other and having various angled curvatures with respect to opposing prongs, as well as with respect to adjacent prongs. Other configurations and uses for the present invention are set forth below and are described in the attached drawings.